Bali is one of the popular island in Indonesia and very well-known for its tourist. The characteristics of Balinese culture can be seen in terms of language, ritual ceremonies, traditional dances, and so on. In the midst of this modern era, Bali is the places that still preserves many traditions.
One of the richness of Balinese culture can be seen in the rituals or traditional ceremonies that are held continuously. In fact, Bali sets many holidays for the implementation of these rituals. Some traditional ceremonies or rituals in Bali include ngaben, Melasti, Saraswati Day, and Galungan Day.
These traditional ceremonies are usually performed in temples, so Balinese temples are one of the tourist destinations that you must visit if you want to know more about Balinese culture.
Visiting these temples can boost and develop tourism in the area you are visiting. So, Let’s dig into more!
What is Cultural Tourism in Bali?
Cultural tourism is a tourist activity that focuses on or tends to tourist attractions based on the cultural arts of the region, such as customs, religious ceremonies, community life, historical relics, art products, and community crafts.
By visiting Bali historical places in Bali, you will find knowledge about the diversity of Balinese culture. The most important thing is to always remember to appreciate and respect the culture that makes Bali so special.
12 Best Temples in Bali Full of Culture, Including 4 Beautiful Ubud Temples
Visiting a Pura or Balinese Hindu temple in Bali is a memorable cultural tour. Please remember that temples in Bali are also sacred sites so you must wear decent clothes. Here, we recommend 10 Bali temples and Ubud temples.
1. Tanah Lot Bali Temple
Tanah Lot Temple, which stands majestically on a large rock by the sea, is one of the most iconic temples in Bali, Indonesia. Famous as a stunning place to enjoy the sunset, Tanah Lot Temple is part of Pura Dang Kahyangan and is considered a sacred place to worship the guardian deities of the sea.
The main uniqueness of Tanah Lot Sea Temple is its location on a large rock by the sea, so when the tide is high, the temple looks like it is floating above the waves. According to Balinese legend, Pura Tanah Lot was founded by a wandering brahmin from Java, named Danghyang Nirartha, in the 15th century.
The best time to visit Bali temples is ideally early morning around 5:00-9.30am for fewer crowds exploration, or late afternoon around 4:00pm to catch the beautiful sunset.
Location: Beraban, Kediri, Tabanan Regency, Bali.
2. Taman Saraswati Temple Ubud
Taman Saraswati Temple is an iconic sacred temple tourist destination in Ubud. Its location is on Jalan Kajeng, Ubud Village, Ubud District. The temple, which was built by an art maestro, I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, has a very beautiful architectural design.
Pura Taman Saraswati is an important temple on the island that surrounded by a charming lotus pond that becomes a trademark. The temple, which worships Dewi Saraswati as the Goddess of Science, is also a venue for performances of kecak dance and Balinese art at certain times.
Usually, a Balinese dance performance is often held at 7:30 pm. You can visit this temple without the need for an entrance ticket. It is a beautiful temple to visit and hold a photo session with the background of this Taman Saraswati Temple.
Location: Jl. Kajeng, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali.
3. Gunung Lebah Temple
The name Pura Gunung Lebah itself comes from the word “Gunung” which means hill and “Lebah” which means valley. This means that the temple is located on a small hill in the Campuhan river valley.
To this day, the local community strongly believes in the sacredness and magical power of this place and often uses it as a meditation spot to seek inner peace. This location is often used as a place of meditation to achieve spiritual unity with Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, in the hope of gaining self-liberation and inner peace.
Gunung Lebah Temple has its own uniqueness that distinguishes it from other temples in Bali. One of the striking things is its location in a river valley, while most temples in Bali are usually located on higher ground, reflecting the mountain as a symbol of purity and fertility.
Location: Jl. Raya Ubud No.23, Sayan, Kec. Payangan, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali.
4. Besakih Temple – The Mother Temple in Bali
One of the most famous Temple in Bali is Besakih Temple or Pura Besakih, which majestically stands on the slopes of Mount Agung. It is known as the mother temple in Bali. The temple located in Besakih Village, Karangasem Regency and held complex consists of 23 smaller temples, shrines and one main temple.
As the main place of worship for Hindus in Bali, Pura Besakih is considered the centre of Hindu beliefs on the island. The architecture of Besakih Temple is beautiful and unique, with buildings made of black and white volcanic stone.
In addition, the temple offers stunning natural scenery, with the towering Mount Agung in the background. Besakih Temple is one of Bali’s most famous cultural tourism destinations, offering visitors a deep spiritual experience and stunning natural beauty.
Location: Besakih, Rendang, Karangasem Regency, Bali.
5. Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal
Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal or, often referred to as Pura Dalem Agung, is one of three temples in the Monkey Forest tourist area, Ubud.
Visiting this temple Ubud is advantageous because it is located in a popular tourist destination, so you can visit Monkey Forest at the same time.
This temple is located in the southwestern part of the tourist attraction which is famous for its herds of monkeys. Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal is an ancient temple in Ubud. This can be seen from the ancient architecture and ornaments that characterize this temple.
Tourists can take photos in several interesting photo spots with the splendour of Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal as the background. This temple is a place of worship for Lord Shiva as the manifestation of God (Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa).
Location: Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali.
6. Uluwatu Temple Bali
Uluwatu Temple is one of Bali’s most famous temples, is located at the south Bali Island with stunning ocean views. Located in Pecatu Traditional Village, South Kuta District, Badung Regency, this temple of Bali was built in 942 AD by king Sri Kesari Warmadewa.
Aside from being a place of worship, Pura Luhur Uluwatu is also a tourist destination that offers beautiful sea views, mesmerizing visitors with its natural beauty. The must experience attraction up on the hill is the famous Kecak dance. You can visit the temple and experience the Balinese culture with amazing sunset in the background.
Location: Pecatu, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali.
7. Goa Lawah Klungkung Temple
Goa Lawah Klungkung Temple is one of the most important hindu temples in Bali. It is a cave temple that is inhabited by a lot of bats. That is the uniqueness of this temple. You don’t need to worry about the number of bats here because it is guaranteed safety.
If you want to visit Goa Lawah Klungkung Temple, you should take a tour of East Bali, such as Candidasa, Parasi Beach, or Tenganan village or temple complex.
Location: Jl. Raya Goa Lawah, Pesinggahan, Kec. Dawan, Kabupaten Klungkung, Bali
8. Tirta Empul Temple – Famous Temple in Bali for Melukat
The increasing trend of doing melukat among foreign tourists has also made this Balinese temple more popular. Tirta Empul Temple is one of Bali’s most famous temples, known for its holy water source used for self-cleansing rituals. Water temple is located in Manukaya Village, Tampaksiring, Gianyar Regency, Bali. The temple was built in 962 AD by Raja Sri Candrabhayasingha Warmadewa.
The holy water that flows here is believed to cleanse oneself of shortcomings and afflictions. Self-cleansing rituals, or melukat, are usually performed at Pura Tirta Empul or famous for nickname water temple.
To respect the traditions and rules of the water temple, visitors are required to comply with provisions such as dressing in traditional clothing or using a yellow shawl, avoiding the use of shorts, and combing their hair before entering the bathing area.
Location: Tampaksiring, Gianyar Regency, Bali
9. Goa Gajah Temple
This Ubud temple is quite unique because it is an acculturation of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple. Goa Gajah Temple is located in Bedulu Village, Blahbatuh District, about 3 kilometres from the tourist centre of Ubud. This ancient temple has a cave with a large and unique carving at the entrance that resembles an elephant.
The name Goa Gajah was originally found in the Lontar Negarakertagama, namely Lwa Gajah. Lwa means river, and elephant means monastery or a place of Buddhist worship. Lwa Gajah can be interpreted as a place where Buddhist monks meditate. Therefore, Goa Gajah Temple is an acculturation of Hindu and Buddhist culture.
Tourists can find several statues symbolizing the acculturation such as Ganesha Statue, Men Brayut Statue, Tri Lingga Statue, Widyadara Widyadari Fountain Statue, 13 Buddha stupas, and Petapan Ratu Buddha Temple.Tourists can also find a bathing pool which has three pools with each shower statue.
In addition, next to the bathing pool, there are archaeological relics of Buddhists in the Tukad Pangkung Valley complex. There are also archaeological fragments of Buddhist statues, reliefs of three-branched stupas, and reliefs of stacking 13.
Location: Bedulu, Blahbatuh, Gianyar Regency, Bali.
10. Lempuyang Luhur Temple
Do you often see a beautiful Balinese temple because the view is above ground level and shows the beautiful Balinese sky and clouds? That is Pura Lempuyang Luhur.
In fact, in this world there are 6 temples built for Lord Sang Hyang Widi Wasa. One of them is Lempuyang Temple. This temple was built at 1,175 meters above sea level and is the highest and oldest temple that you must visit during your trip to Bali.
By visiting Pura Lempuyang, you can witness the beauty of nature like no other. In addition, you can also feel close to the Creator because of the solemn and sublime nature of this temple. Here there is a tall gate that looks flanking Mount Agung. Tourists often use as a photo object in this place.
Location: West Seraya, Karangasem, Karangasem Regency, Bali.
11. Ulun Danu Beratan Temple
Ulun Danu Temple or Pura Ulun Danu is one of the most beautiful temples in Bali because of its floating position in the middle of the lake. It is located on the shores of Lake Bratan and the clear water surrounding the temple makes the area even more beautiful.
The lake is also surrounded by hills and well-organized gardens. Because of its location in the highlands, the temple area is very cool and often shrouded in mist.
Location: Candikuning, Baturiti, Tabanan Regency, Bali.
12. Taman Ayun Mengwi Temple
If you’re visiting North Bali and Central Bali, don’t miss one of the best temples in Bali. The next temple that should not be missed when coming to Bali is Taman Ayun Temple.
Visiting temple in Bali is very beautiful, with a very large courtyard in the outside area. In the inner area of the temple, there is a water park that surrounds the surrounding area. The traditional Balinese architecture combined with Chinese influence is the uniqueness of this temple. It is a must-add Bali Itinerary for your best trip.
Location: Jl. Ayodya No.10, Mengwi, Kec. Mengwi, Kabupaten Badung, Bali.
